Cold And Flu - Everything You Need to Know

Fever, aches and pains, sneezing, blocked nose, coughs – we’ve all been there. The cause is usually cold or flu.¹ In fact, the common cold is the most common human disease,² and the flu (influenza) virus accounts for between 3 and 5 millions of severe cases annually.³

Your immune system versus cold and flu

Once an infection is detected, your healthy immune system amps up its defences to fight the pathogen (infectious microorganism).⁴ Fever is your body turning up the heat to fight off infection.⁵

Avoiding cold and flu

While avoiding the common cold and the flu virus is more difficult during the fall and winter seasons,⁶ you can follow a few simple rules to reduce the risk of infection.

Mother and daughter exercising and stretching together

Healthy diet: It’s no secret that a healthy, balanced diet is essential for good health. Proper nutrition is linked with your body’s immune response.⁷ A balanced diet should include daily fruit and green vegetables, whole grain bread, cereals, moderate amounts of dairy, and small amounts of meat and fish.⁸
Vitamins: Following a healthy, balanced diet should provide your body with adequate levels of essential vitamins. But you can add a vitamin supplement like Redoxon® to your diet to make sure your body has everything it needs to maintain a healthy, strong immune system.⁹

Vaccination: Anyone over the age of six months of age can get a flu vaccine every year.¹⁰ You should consult your doctor before vaccinating in case you have allergies or other conditions.
Good hygiene: The key to avoiding illness is to reduce your exposure to germs, so practicing good hygiene becomes even more important when you are trying to stay healthy.¹¹ You should always wash your hands thoroughly before touching or preparing food, and before inserting your contact lenses or any other activity that requires you to touch your eyes, face or mouth.¹²
Keep personal items personal: A single sick person can pass the flu virus to an entire family, or a group of coworkers.¹³ That’s because the flu virus can survive for up to 24 hours on most surfaces, giving it plenty of time to infect multiple people.¹⁴ Do not share any personal items, like toothbrushes, towels, clothes, eating utensils or drinking glasses.
Get your exercise: Regular exercise helps keep your immune system healthy¹⁵ and reduces stress and inflammation.
Relax and sleep well: There is a correlation between prolonged mental stress and physical illness¹⁶. That’s why avoiding stress and getting adequate sleep supports your immune system and can improve your overall health.¹⁷

What to do when you are suffering from cold and flu?

Whether you are suffering from a common cold or the flu, your doctor will always recommend the best treatment and medication. But there are some things you can do to relieve symptoms as your body is fighting the illness.

Stay home and get plenty of rest. Let your immune system do the work in peace and avoid spreading the virus to coworkers or colleagues.¹⁸
Stay hydrated. The body needs to stay hydrated to keep mucus thin. When a person is sick with a cold, drinking extra fluids can thin the mucus and help the sinuses to drain.
Increase humidity. Exposure to dry air impairs host defense against influenza infection, reduces tissue repair.¹⁹

References:

1. Eccles, Ronald; Weber, Olaf (2009). Common cold. Basel: Birkhäuser. p. 3. ISBN 978-3-7643-9894-1. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016.
2. Nguyen HH et al, What is the global incidence of influenza?
https://www.medscape.com/answers/219557-3459/what-is-the-global-incidence-ofinfluenza#:~:text=The%20duration%20and%20severity%20of,about%20250%2C000%20to%20500%2C000%20deaths.
3. How to prevent infections. Harvard Medical School, 2016. (Accessed 10/02/2020, at https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-prevent-infections.)
4. Song et al, 2019; Patel et al 2012 and Gombart et al 2020.
5. Gombart AF, Pierre A, Maggini S. A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System-Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection. Nutrients 2020;12.
6. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.htm

How Redoxon®
helps support your
immune system

Your body is equipped with powerful natural defences and your immune system has many ways of dealing with threats from bacteria and viruses.²⁰ The Immune system is made up of three main defense mechanisms; Physical barriers (skin and mucosa), cellular barriers (white blood cells) and antibodies.²¹Nutrients such as vitamins are essential to the health and function of this complex network.²²

In our fast-paced world of fast food and pre-cooked meals, it may be challenging to consume adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables delivering all the vitamins we need to fully support our body functions. An inadequate intake of vitamins can negatively affect the immune system and overall health.²³That’s where Redoxon® comes in. Our Vitamin C product is designed to help support your immune system.²⁴

Learn more

Redoxon® for a healthier immune system

You need to look after your immune system. Even though it may not feel like it, your immune system works 24 hours a day.²⁵ Just as a plant needs water and sunlight, your immune system needs regular nourishment to support the body’s defence systems.²⁶

Together with a healthy lifestyle including physical exercise and good nutrition, supplements like Redoxon® provide the foundation for a strong immune system all year round.²⁷

In 1934, we pioneered the world’s first Vitamin C supplement, and we’ve been helping people keep their natural defenses in top shape. Today our own Vitamin C supplement helps to support your immunity every day.^{18 19}